Wales Rally GB news 2005-09-06

Gold seats for the world's first indoor special stage in Cardiff's
Millennium Stadium on Saturday 17th September are now all sold -- nine
days before the start of Wales Rally GB on Thursday 15th September.
Bronze seats in the North Stand and ...

Gold seats for the world's first indoor special stage in Cardiff's
Millennium Stadium on Saturday 17th September are now all sold -- nine
days before the start of Wales Rally GB on Thursday 15th September.

Bronze seats in the North Stand and Silver seats in the middle tier are
still available.

North Stand seats are £10 per adult with two children (under 15) FREE.
Additional Child tickets are £5 each.

Silver seats are £12 for adults, £5 for Children.

All seats give a panoramic view of the figure-of--eight timed stage on
the Stadium floor and the displays of stunt riding and driving which
begins at 5.15 pm.
(Doors open at 5.00pm).

Saturday Day Passes and single stage passes for "Dixie's" have sold
out but Day Passes for Friday 16th and Sunday 18th are still currently
available.

Friday Day Pass (£35) offers a choice of three stages, each run twice.
Entry to the renowned Walters Arena in Rheola Forest is also available as
a Single Stage Pass priced £20 per adult.

Sunday Pay Pass (£25) allows access to two stages, each run twice,
including the easily accessible Margam Park, just off junction 38, M4.
Margam Park -- the final competitive section before the rally finish on
Sunday - is also available as a Single Stage pass, priced £20 per adult.

All the above Day and Single Stage Passes are half price for 9 to 15 year
olds. Under 8's go free.

The four-day, all inclusive World Rally Passes (£99 per adult, half price
for Children 9 to 15. Under 8's free) were on the verge of selling out
two weeks before the rally start. However, by increasing car park
capacity additional Passes have been released.

Ticket orders placed after Monday 5th September can only be collected
from either the Cardiff Indoor Arena (CIA) in Mary Ann Street, Cardiff
(5th to 12th September) or from the Millennium Stadium (13th to 17th
September).

Ford's new high-performance Fiesta to star in Millennium Stadium.

Stunt driver Paul Swift, 26 year old son of Guinness Book record holder
Russ, will demonstrate the capabilities of Ford's new 130 mph Fiesta ST
with a display of two wheel driving, hand-braking and power-sliding
during the show which precedes the 7.00 pm Special Stage in the
Millennium Stadium on Saturday night. The 90 minute show begins at 5.15
and will also feature Motorcycle stunt rider Jamie Squibb and -- never
before seen outside the USA - a flying car.

Coincidence?

Rally fans who recently received a WRGB promotional decal -- which
prominently features the number "12" - assumed the event organisers
were giving particular recognition to the entry of Scotland's Colin
McRae and Abergavenny's Nicky Grist, who will carry rally number 12 on
the doors of their Skoda Fabia World Rally Car.

In fact, the "12" denotes Wales Rally GB as the 12th event in the 16
round World Rally Championship.

But maybe this is good omen for the 1995 World Champion and three times
Rally GB winner who returns to what he describes as his "home event"
after a two year lay-off.

World Rally Championship decided in Wales?

If Citroen's Sebastien Loeb wins Wales Rally GB and his nearest rivals
fail to score he could retain his World crown - with four events still to
run.

The 37 year old Frenchman has won eight of the previous 11 rounds and is
32 points ahead of Finland's Marcus Gronholm and 38 clear of Norway's
Petter Solberg. If these two fail to increase their current scores and
Loeb wins Wales Rally GB he will retain his Driver's World Championship
title.

Loeb has yet to win in Wales. On the other hand Gronholm (Peugeot) won in
2001 and Solberg, partnered by Welshman Phil Mills, is aiming, with
Subaru, for a fourth consecutive victory since 2002.